Sullivan county manager to leave March 2

MONTICELLO – Sullivan County Manager David Fanslau will step down March 2 under an agreement approved by the Legislature late Thursday, resolving an issue that had divided legislators.

The deal was announced at 5:39 p.m., about two hours after legislators Gene Benson, Cora Edwards, Cindy Gieger, Alan Sorensen and Kitty Vetter voted to eliminate a charter requirement that six votes be needed to hire or remove a county manager.

The agreement, negotiated separately from the charter amendment, ends a state of limbo that emerged when those five legislators fell one vote short of removing Fanslau and supporters fell two votes short of renewing Fanslau's contract before it expired Dec. 31.

“The terms were amicably agreed to by David and all nine legislators,” Legislature Chairman Scott Samuelson said. “The next step is setting up a search committee and moving on.”

Budget Commissioner Josh Potosek will become acting county manager while the Legislature decides whether to name an interim or stand pat until it finds a permanent replacement.